Shoulder stock for machine guns



May 16 1933 l R. c. couPLAND 1,909,171

SHOULDER STOCK FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed March 23, 1931 mVENToR. Richard E- EEpland v BY A TTORNEY Patented May 16, 1933 i 'K 73 PATET QFFICIE i RIGBLARD o. coUPLAND, oF THE UNITED STATES Aanv, NonroLmvraGINrA i SHOULDER sTocK For. Liizriecmlvn GUNS 'i i Application medium-h as, 1931.. serial no. 524,648.' (GRANTED UNDER THE Aer or MARGH alissa, ASAAMENTE'D Armi. so, 1928370' o. e. 75a) y The invention described herein may be 3) consisting of a bolt 8 inserted througha manufactured and used by or for the Governslot 9 in the outer member 5 and throughv diment-for the governmental purposes, withametrically opposite *apertures 1Y0-10 in the out the payment to me of any royalty thereon. inner member 6 and threaded' in a plu'g`11 5 The subject of this invention is an auxil-v fitting. within Vand secured to the member 6 55 iary stock for machine guns. by a pin 12. The member 6 isV of a relatively F ree-mounted machine guns employed Soft metalsuch as aluminum while the plug against aircraft are steadied during firing by 11 is of a hard" metal. A hand-wheel 1,3 fast means of a shoulder stock. Because of the ontheouter end ofthe bolt 8 is formed with 10 rapid travel of the target and its constant a collar 14 confining'l a flat'washer 15 anda '60 change of position, the gunner in tracing the lock washer 16 both mounted on the bolt. target is obliged to move around the gun The inner face 'of the washer 16 is curvedto mount and to frequently change his stance. conform to the tube 5 and is preferably pro- In order to facilitate the task of the gunvided withserrations-l?. When the bolt is ner in holding the gun it is proposed in the unthreaded to remove pressure vfrom the 65 present invention to provide means for adwasher l16 the member 6 may be moved relajustment of the shoulder stock which mayv tive tothe member Yto vary the lengtli'of be conveniently operated without discontinuthestock. ,I p A Y ing firing. Y At the same time the adjusting` The stock is attached to a gun-member 18 means are conducted and positioned to afford bymeans of abea-ring plate-19 Y (Figs. land 70 a strong unit that will withstand all the 4)' which is mounted on a trunnion'pinl20 stresses occasioned by firing of the gun. threaded into the gun-member 18 and locked A further object of the invention is to proby a set screw 21. pair of spacedannular vide a shoulder piece which is especially debearings 2222 on'the plate 19 receive the signed to permit elevation and depression of end of the member rwhich 'is'nin threaded en- 75 the gun through movement of thebody of gagement 23 preferably withv the vforemost the gunner and which carries a cushion sebearing. The stockis heldin angularly a'dcured in a simple and elfective manner. justed relation withV respect toV Vthe bearings To these and other ends, the invention con- 22 by means of a nut 2.4 threaded on 'the'eX- A sists in the construction, arrangement and tremity of the 'member 5 and drawn up '80 combination of elements described hereinagainst the foremost bearing 22. 'Y 7 after and pointed out in the claims forming The lower portion of the plate 19 is proa part of this specification..` vided with an arcuateslot 25 centered on the A practical embodiment of the invention axis of the trunnion pin 20. A bolt 26 locked is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, to the gunr member by the set screw 27 passes 85 wherein: through the slotl 25 and carries a serrated Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a shoulflock washer 28 confined by ay threadedly der rest constructed in accordance with the mounted clamping handle 29.* When thehaninvention. dle29 is loosened the stockv may be rotated 10 Figs. 27 8 and 4 are detail sectional views about the trunnion pin 20. l

on the respective lines of Fig. 1. The shoulder piece 7 on the rear extremity Referring to the drawing by numerals of of the member 6 consist of an arcuate chanreference: neled plate 30 designed to fit the shoulder of The auxiliary stock consists of a pair of the gunner, and having a straight extension telescoping tubular members, the front and 31 on the lower arm to lit between the body '$5 outer member 5 arranged for attachment to and the arm of the gunner. A tubular cusha gun member and the inner or rear member ion 32 fitting on the' inside of the plate 30 6 arranged to carry a shoulder piece 7. is retained by means of screws 233-33 pass- The members 5 and 6 are adjustably coning through the plate 30 and the wall of the y Y nected by means of a clamping device (Fig. cushion and threadedly engaging one or more 100 anchoring bars 34 placed within the cushion.

In operation the gunner employs the shoulder stock to steady the gun and to move it in elevation and azimuth. The handwheel 13 5 and the clamping handle 29 are both accessible to the right hand of the gunner and may be operated Without discontinuing firing. The positioning to afford accessibility has also been made Withfa Viewl to Aproviding a w strong unit. By placing the means for angular adjustment relative to the gun` member at the point of attachment to the gun member instead of at the arcuate shoulder piece, as p has been the ygeneral practice heretofore, a l5' larger and stronger construction may be em# ployed.

' I claim: i i

1. In combination with a gun member, a shoulder-stock comprising a pair of tubular ,2G tclescoping members'adjustable relative to length, means for clamping said tubular members together, a plate having bearings in Which the front tubular member is secured, means for trunnioning the plate to the gun 25 member, means for clamping the plate in position of angular adjustment relative to the gun member, and a shoulder piece fixed on the rear tubular member. y

2. In a shoulder stock, a pair of telescop- 30 ing members, the outer member :formed with a 'slot and the inner member formed with alignedapertures, a plug secured Within the inner member, and having a threadedfaperture coaxial with the aligned apertures, a boltinsertcd through the slot in the outer member and the aligned apertures of the inner member and engaging the threaded aperture in the plug, a head on the outer end of the bolt `and a locking Washer confined 4,0 between the head and the outer member.

3. In a shoulder stock, a pair of telescoping members, the outer member formed With a slot, a plug secured Within the inner member, a bolt insertable through the slot in the 4.5 outer member and threaded into the plug,

and a clamping means on the outer end of the bolt.

4. Tn a shoulder stock, a channeled shoulder-piece, a tubular cushioning member fit- ;.50 ting therein, anchoring means Within the cushioning member, and retaining means passing through the shoulder-piece, cushioning member and anchoring` means. i t

RICHARD C. CGUPLAND. 

